Pakistan call for ICC investigation into Hair

KARACHI - Pakistan have asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold an inquiry into umpire Darrell Hair's conduct in the Oval test before captain Inzamam-ul-Haq's disciplinary hearing.

Following the cancellation of the ICC executive board meeting in Dubai on Sept 2, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written a letter demanding an urgent investigation into Hair's conduct during the fiasco.

"The PCB feels it was Darrell Hair who brought the game into disrepute at the Oval and not Pakistan," spokesman Ateeq Rauf said.

He said the PCB had also reiterated that Australian Hair would not be accepted as an official in future matches involving Pakistan.

ICC President Percy Sonn announced on Monday the cancellation of an emergency meeting to discuss the Oval test controversy.

Sonn said he had consulted each director of the ICC member countries and they decided the meeting was unnecessary because they were all well aware of the circumstances leading to Pakistan forfeiting the fourth and final test.

Hair sparked a major incident when he penalised the Pakistan team five runs for alleged ball-tampering.

Inzamam was charged on two counts of ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute by the ICC after the visitors failed to return to the field after tea in protest against Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove.

The controversy took a twist when ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed later announced that Hair had asked for $500,000 as a one-off payment to quit the ruling body's elite panel of umpires during discussions with umpires' manager Doug Cowie.

The hearing against Inzamam is now scheduled for late September but the PCB said it was confident he would be cleared of all charges.

"PCB is confident that only Inzamam but the team will be exonerated of the charges made against them," Rauf said.

He also reiterated that the Pakistan team were now committed to fulfilling the remaining matches on their tour of England despite the cancellation of the ICC meeting. Pakistan played a Twenty20 match against England at Bristol on Monday.

Inzamam told the Daily Jang newspaper that he was relieved to be resuming the tour.

"The team's intention was never to disrupt the tour because we have nothing against the England board or public. We just took a principled stand," he said.

"I am happy we are back playing cricket but a sword of uncertainty still hangs over me and my team and I would like it to be resolved soon."

Sonn had indicated that despite Hair's offer to quit the disciplinary charges against Inzamam would not be dropped or reversed.

"We have processes in place to deal with the code of conduct matters and we should not seek to interfere with it," he said.

PCB sources confirmed that Pakistan had consulted their legal advisers and spoken to other ICC members and were planning to move a motion to oust Hair from the elite panel and have the charges against Inzamam and the team dropped completely.

- REUTERS